At least 11 international flights have been stranded at airports across Pakistan for the past three days as the ongoing Middle East crisis continues to disrupt global aviation. Foreign airline jets have been awaiting departure at major airports including Jinnah International in Karachi Multan Sialkot and Islamabad after regional airspace closures and safety concerns forced carriers to halt operations.
The disruption follows a wave of military strikes in the Middle East including joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that escalated the conflict and led several Gulf states to shut or heavily restrict their skies. With major hubs such as Dubai Abu Dhabi and Doha closed or restricted flight routes have been severely affected forcing airlines to cancel or delay thousands of services worldwide.
Among the stranded aircraft are jets from carriers like Air Arabia Qatar Airways and Flydubai which have been parked at various Pakistani airports since the crisis began. Aviation sources say passengers were sent home where possible while airline crews have been accommodated in hotels amid uncertainty over when flights will resume.
The skies over much of the Middle East remain closed due to security risks and airspace closures across nine countries have led to widespread cancellations and rerouting of flights. Airlines and authorities warn the disruption could continue for days further complicating travel plans for passengers and adding pressure on carriers to manage aircraft and crew around the world.
